I'm finally starting to recover from Governor's Cup. This was by far my biggest sailing adventure in terms of distance traveled in a short amount of time and the logistical challenges involved.
It begins in Alexandria, Virginia, just south of DC. The skipper, one other crewmate and I met at the boat on Wednesday night and left to deliver the boat to Annapolis. We motored the whole way but due to our late start we spent most of the first half of our trip in darkness. The trip to Annapolis from DC is about 150 nautical miles which translates to around 173 regular miles.
Along the way we passed the St. Mary's river which would be our destination for the race that would start on Friday. The Potomac, once you get south of DC and Alexandria is beautiful. There are alot of parks along the riverside and so it's very green and full of wildlife if you keep your eyes peeled. Since we were motoring we didn't see as much wildlife, but when you sail the boat is quieter and less likely to frighten birds and fish. We ate samosas and drank a fair bit to stay hydrated while on deck. Two of us stayed on deck while one of us slept or tried to sleep down below. At first this was hard because the cabin was crammed with our gear and supplies, the heat was stifling and the noise of the motor aggravating. We found it easier at times to catch a few minutes of sleep up in the cockpit trying to stay clear of our crewmate who was driving the boat at the time. Around Point No Point on the Chesapeake Bay we were caught by our friends on Dark Star.
Dark Star is a much bigger boat and she easily caught us and passed us, but not before we had exchanged a few pleasantries. It was now mid-day on Thursday and we'd been motoring for about 15 hours. Dark Star slowed to our pace for as long as her skipper could stand it and then motored on to Solomon's Island for dinner and a bit of rest. For us though, there was no stopping. We were much the slower boat under motor and so we had to press on to get to Annapolis. It was a beautiful day and so with the help of some rollers pushing us up the bay we had a nice ride, finally getting to Annapolis around 10 pm. We hooked a mooring ball, cleared space to sleep, had a beer and then crashed for the night. At some point after we had gone to sleep, Dark Star finally arrived and moored behind us.
Annapolis is one of my favorite places. It's a small town and much of it is dedicated to sailing. Our mooring fee entittled us to use the harbor master's facilities which meant we could shower! After two nights on the boat we stank and the shower and a proper toilet were our primary concerns. We took the water taxi to shore with the Dark Star crew and, after our ablutions met up again at Chick and Ruth's Delly for breakfast.
Chick and Ruth's is not somewhere that you will leave hungry. After a good breakfast it was back to the boat to get ready for the race and wait for the rest of the crew. We were moored not far from the spot where the young sailor drowned a few weeks ago. It was sobering and hard not to think of her as I watched her fellow sailors set out from Severn Sailing Association to practice sailing the same boats. Finally our other crew arrived and we picked them up and dropped off some of our extraneous gear, trying to make sure we weren't carrying any weight that we didn't need. While waiting for them to return from dropping off the extra stuff we got a chance to see Flying Jenny 7.
This sexy beast was being prepped for the race by two of her crew. Their start would be much later in the day and so for the moment she looked a peaceful beauty all clean lines and uncluttered deck with a huge rig. She's a TP 52, designed to race across the Pacific. It was hard not to salivate as we circled past her.
Finally, after loading our crew and getting our sails ready to fly as we motored to the starting line, it was time for us to start. We got a great one. Ours was the third fleet to start the race and in our fleet we got a really great start. Conditions at 3:10 pm., were perfect with a beautiful sunny day and winds that were a bit stronger than we'd expected. Here we are at the start of the race:
It turned out that the projections we got for windspeeds were low and so about an hour into the race we were a bit overpowered. We had passed Thomas Point Lighthouse,
and decided to shorten sail. First reefing our main then changing our jib from our number 1 (150) to our number 3. As a bowman it's my job to go forward and change this sail. As I carefully went forward we were not just overpowered but also facing a contrary sea. this meant that we were having our bow lifted as we went over waves and then crashed down into the troughs between waves or into the face of the next wave. the swells were big enough that there were moments where I was standing 15 feet above the water and seconds later standing with water running around my feet. The boat took such a battering that the bow pulpit, that section of metal bars onto which the lifelines are attached and to which a bowman braces himself as he does his job, had come loose. The middle stanchion, the one at the front of the boat had come loose. So there I was trying not to get tossed off the boat while changing the jib and having nothing to hold onto as Truculent Turtle bucked like a bronco underneath of me. In the end I was able to get the sail changed and jury rig the pulpit so that it would stay in place. As I came aft again I was physically wrecked.
The remainder of the daylight was spent sitting on the rail in my bib, getting doused by the waves. The water was warm so it wasn't that bad really, but I did get the worst of it as the person who sits farthest forward. As darkness fell the clouds disappeared and the stars filled the night sky. We were still pitching and rolling a fair bit and so there was no going below to rest., We all stayed on the rail, our feet dangling over the side and our bellies pushed up to the lower lifelines. We did get our lifevests and tethers on though as these were exactly the condiitons that could send someone off the boat. I was so tired that I pulled an ocean racer's trick and clipped myself to the jackline (safety line) and went to sleep, sitting on the rail with my head lolling above the water.
Sleep of course was fleeting, but we stole what moments we could. We had to make sure that someone was watching out for traffic as the blackness at water level hid boats and freighters. All of us are required to be lit at night, but even then it can be hard to see. We had a few close crossings as boats on the opposite tack came at us. There is nothing quite like sailing at speed in a rough sea, enveloped in darkness and watching a light heading towards you, knowing that it is another boat and not knowing if they can see you. You call out, knowing that the wind may be dousing your voice as you hope that they do hear you and steer appropriately. Nerves go to the edge and your mouth tightens as they near calling for you to hold course. They think they can cross you, and you hope they are right.
A few of those in grueling race and you are ready for pleasant daylight cruising. We did our best to steer a fast course while navigating the Chesapeake Bay's innumerable obstacles of military targets, fish preserves and shallow coastal areas. We were making good time down the bay, unusual for this race which is notorious for light winds and long hot drifting races. By the time we had reached Point No Point, about two-thirds of the way through the race, it was still night and so our crewmates who had never seen the lighthouse were doomed not to see it as we passed by.
I went below finally get my turn to sleep below before we made the northward turn around Point Lookout. Once we got there, I'd be doing my job getting the spinnaker set for the final approach to St. Mary's City. It was 40 minutes but it felt like 5 minutes later when a crewmate cried out to tell me we were getting close. I bolted upright and gained my bearings as I quickly threw on my lifevest and went forward to get the spinnaker set up. I've often said that being a bowman is long stretches of tedium punctuated with a few minutes of hell. We had already had a few of those moments with the head sail changes and the pitching bow and making repairs to a sail while underway. This one wasn't so bad. It was, aside from my exhaustion, routine.It was daylight now as the sun had just come up, I was able to see everything I was doing more easily. I got the spinnaker set up on the bow, made sure the lines weren't tangled or snagged and then talked the crew through the hoist of the spinnaker and dousing of the jib. This all happened as we passed by Point Lookout at the southern tip of Maryland. Marking the entrance to the Potomac River from the Chesapeake Bay, this lighthouse was also the site of a prisoner of war camp during the Civil War. It is one of the most haunted places in America they say.
We rounded Point Lookout and headed up the Potomac and into the entrance to St. Mary's river and on to St. Mary's College, the sponsor of the regatta. As we entered the narrows we passed between a wooden cross on a point of land and a replica of the Dove. The replica is of one of the two ships, The Ark and The Dove, that brought the first European colonists to Maryland. For ths race the Dove replica is the traditional race committee boat marking the finish line of the race.
70 nautical miles, and almost exactly 17 hours of grueling racing later, we crossed the finish line. We still had to make the final 80 mile trip back to DC, but for now we doused our sails, dropped anchor and watched other boats coming in as we tried to see who from our class had already finished. Our friends on Dark Star came up and dropped anchor along side us and we rafted up together sharing a breakfast of champions of popcorn chicken, beer and mudslides. After a bit of rest and relaxation we shuttled onto the shore to turn in our tracking units, and find showers. St. Mary's College was a great host, opening their facilities to us and allowing us to shower. We came back to the party, ate a bit drank a bit and said good bye to our crewmates who would be driving back to Annapolis to pick up the other car. I had a pulled pork sandwich and for the first time in over 20 years, a snowcone. That was the best snowcone I've ever had. Finally, around 3 pm, we got back on the water and again fighting waves, made the long motor home. We arrived back in DC at 4 am Sunday morning. After quickly offloading the boat, I loaded my car and drove home. The final few miles were a test as I was truly exhausted. It will still take a few days more to fully recover, but it was a great time and a great adventure. We ended up 10th out of 28 boats in our fleet out of the 156 boats that participated. Flying Jenny, won her class, and Dark Star finished 22nd in her class.
We all think we could have done better and are a bit disappointed, but I still think we did well for our first time out and we learned alot. Hopefully, we'll get a chance to put those lessons to good use next year.
It begins in Alexandria, Virginia, just south of DC. The skipper, one other crewmate and I met at the boat on Wednesday night and left to deliver the boat to Annapolis. We motored the whole way but due to our late start we spent most of the first half of our trip in darkness. The trip to Annapolis from DC is about 150 nautical miles which translates to around 173 regular miles.
Along the way we passed the St. Mary's river which would be our destination for the race that would start on Friday. The Potomac, once you get south of DC and Alexandria is beautiful. There are alot of parks along the riverside and so it's very green and full of wildlife if you keep your eyes peeled. Since we were motoring we didn't see as much wildlife, but when you sail the boat is quieter and less likely to frighten birds and fish. We ate samosas and drank a fair bit to stay hydrated while on deck. Two of us stayed on deck while one of us slept or tried to sleep down below. At first this was hard because the cabin was crammed with our gear and supplies, the heat was stifling and the noise of the motor aggravating. We found it easier at times to catch a few minutes of sleep up in the cockpit trying to stay clear of our crewmate who was driving the boat at the time. Around Point No Point on the Chesapeake Bay we were caught by our friends on Dark Star.
Dark Star is a much bigger boat and she easily caught us and passed us, but not before we had exchanged a few pleasantries. It was now mid-day on Thursday and we'd been motoring for about 15 hours. Dark Star slowed to our pace for as long as her skipper could stand it and then motored on to Solomon's Island for dinner and a bit of rest. For us though, there was no stopping. We were much the slower boat under motor and so we had to press on to get to Annapolis. It was a beautiful day and so with the help of some rollers pushing us up the bay we had a nice ride, finally getting to Annapolis around 10 pm. We hooked a mooring ball, cleared space to sleep, had a beer and then crashed for the night. At some point after we had gone to sleep, Dark Star finally arrived and moored behind us.
Annapolis is one of my favorite places. It's a small town and much of it is dedicated to sailing. Our mooring fee entittled us to use the harbor master's facilities which meant we could shower! After two nights on the boat we stank and the shower and a proper toilet were our primary concerns. We took the water taxi to shore with the Dark Star crew and, after our ablutions met up again at Chick and Ruth's Delly for breakfast.
Chick and Ruth's is not somewhere that you will leave hungry. After a good breakfast it was back to the boat to get ready for the race and wait for the rest of the crew. We were moored not far from the spot where the young sailor drowned a few weeks ago. It was sobering and hard not to think of her as I watched her fellow sailors set out from Severn Sailing Association to practice sailing the same boats. Finally our other crew arrived and we picked them up and dropped off some of our extraneous gear, trying to make sure we weren't carrying any weight that we didn't need. While waiting for them to return from dropping off the extra stuff we got a chance to see Flying Jenny 7.
This sexy beast was being prepped for the race by two of her crew. Their start would be much later in the day and so for the moment she looked a peaceful beauty all clean lines and uncluttered deck with a huge rig. She's a TP 52, designed to race across the Pacific. It was hard not to salivate as we circled past her.
Finally, after loading our crew and getting our sails ready to fly as we motored to the starting line, it was time for us to start. We got a great one. Ours was the third fleet to start the race and in our fleet we got a really great start. Conditions at 3:10 pm., were perfect with a beautiful sunny day and winds that were a bit stronger than we'd expected. Here we are at the start of the race:
It turned out that the projections we got for windspeeds were low and so about an hour into the race we were a bit overpowered. We had passed Thomas Point Lighthouse,
and decided to shorten sail. First reefing our main then changing our jib from our number 1 (150) to our number 3. As a bowman it's my job to go forward and change this sail. As I carefully went forward we were not just overpowered but also facing a contrary sea. this meant that we were having our bow lifted as we went over waves and then crashed down into the troughs between waves or into the face of the next wave. the swells were big enough that there were moments where I was standing 15 feet above the water and seconds later standing with water running around my feet. The boat took such a battering that the bow pulpit, that section of metal bars onto which the lifelines are attached and to which a bowman braces himself as he does his job, had come loose. The middle stanchion, the one at the front of the boat had come loose. So there I was trying not to get tossed off the boat while changing the jib and having nothing to hold onto as Truculent Turtle bucked like a bronco underneath of me. In the end I was able to get the sail changed and jury rig the pulpit so that it would stay in place. As I came aft again I was physically wrecked.
The remainder of the daylight was spent sitting on the rail in my bib, getting doused by the waves. The water was warm so it wasn't that bad really, but I did get the worst of it as the person who sits farthest forward. As darkness fell the clouds disappeared and the stars filled the night sky. We were still pitching and rolling a fair bit and so there was no going below to rest., We all stayed on the rail, our feet dangling over the side and our bellies pushed up to the lower lifelines. We did get our lifevests and tethers on though as these were exactly the condiitons that could send someone off the boat. I was so tired that I pulled an ocean racer's trick and clipped myself to the jackline (safety line) and went to sleep, sitting on the rail with my head lolling above the water.
Sleep of course was fleeting, but we stole what moments we could. We had to make sure that someone was watching out for traffic as the blackness at water level hid boats and freighters. All of us are required to be lit at night, but even then it can be hard to see. We had a few close crossings as boats on the opposite tack came at us. There is nothing quite like sailing at speed in a rough sea, enveloped in darkness and watching a light heading towards you, knowing that it is another boat and not knowing if they can see you. You call out, knowing that the wind may be dousing your voice as you hope that they do hear you and steer appropriately. Nerves go to the edge and your mouth tightens as they near calling for you to hold course. They think they can cross you, and you hope they are right.
A few of those in grueling race and you are ready for pleasant daylight cruising. We did our best to steer a fast course while navigating the Chesapeake Bay's innumerable obstacles of military targets, fish preserves and shallow coastal areas. We were making good time down the bay, unusual for this race which is notorious for light winds and long hot drifting races. By the time we had reached Point No Point, about two-thirds of the way through the race, it was still night and so our crewmates who had never seen the lighthouse were doomed not to see it as we passed by.
I went below finally get my turn to sleep below before we made the northward turn around Point Lookout. Once we got there, I'd be doing my job getting the spinnaker set for the final approach to St. Mary's City. It was 40 minutes but it felt like 5 minutes later when a crewmate cried out to tell me we were getting close. I bolted upright and gained my bearings as I quickly threw on my lifevest and went forward to get the spinnaker set up. I've often said that being a bowman is long stretches of tedium punctuated with a few minutes of hell. We had already had a few of those moments with the head sail changes and the pitching bow and making repairs to a sail while underway. This one wasn't so bad. It was, aside from my exhaustion, routine.It was daylight now as the sun had just come up, I was able to see everything I was doing more easily. I got the spinnaker set up on the bow, made sure the lines weren't tangled or snagged and then talked the crew through the hoist of the spinnaker and dousing of the jib. This all happened as we passed by Point Lookout at the southern tip of Maryland. Marking the entrance to the Potomac River from the Chesapeake Bay, this lighthouse was also the site of a prisoner of war camp during the Civil War. It is one of the most haunted places in America they say.
We rounded Point Lookout and headed up the Potomac and into the entrance to St. Mary's river and on to St. Mary's College, the sponsor of the regatta. As we entered the narrows we passed between a wooden cross on a point of land and a replica of the Dove. The replica is of one of the two ships, The Ark and The Dove, that brought the first European colonists to Maryland. For ths race the Dove replica is the traditional race committee boat marking the finish line of the race.
70 nautical miles, and almost exactly 17 hours of grueling racing later, we crossed the finish line. We still had to make the final 80 mile trip back to DC, but for now we doused our sails, dropped anchor and watched other boats coming in as we tried to see who from our class had already finished. Our friends on Dark Star came up and dropped anchor along side us and we rafted up together sharing a breakfast of champions of popcorn chicken, beer and mudslides. After a bit of rest and relaxation we shuttled onto the shore to turn in our tracking units, and find showers. St. Mary's College was a great host, opening their facilities to us and allowing us to shower. We came back to the party, ate a bit drank a bit and said good bye to our crewmates who would be driving back to Annapolis to pick up the other car. I had a pulled pork sandwich and for the first time in over 20 years, a snowcone. That was the best snowcone I've ever had. Finally, around 3 pm, we got back on the water and again fighting waves, made the long motor home. We arrived back in DC at 4 am Sunday morning. After quickly offloading the boat, I loaded my car and drove home. The final few miles were a test as I was truly exhausted. It will still take a few days more to fully recover, but it was a great time and a great adventure. We ended up 10th out of 28 boats in our fleet out of the 156 boats that participated. Flying Jenny, won her class, and Dark Star finished 22nd in her class.
We all think we could have done better and are a bit disappointed, but I still think we did well for our first time out and we learned alot. Hopefully, we'll get a chance to put those lessons to good use next year.